Jimmy Jacobs
2014-07-04 14:16:55 UTC
I am posting this for BluesFan Tom:
It's been a few years since I posted a review of Portland's Waterfront Blues
Festival. When Jimmy Jacobs came he told me he missed those reviews. It was
my sincerest desire to post this last year, but alas, my laptop had finally
crapped out. Partly out of that I bought a Mac last winter and so, here's my
first review in years.
This festival began with a stage crew memorial of sorts to Zeller Jim
Miller. Several folks spoke of him with passion and a few tears were shed.
For myself, I believe I first me Jim at one of the early Mayor's Ball. That
was something and I do miss that festivity. Anyway, I remember one day years
ago, at the WFBF he came right up to me and just started talking about the
bands and seemed sincere in knowing who I was there to see. It wasn't until
the first Zeller breakfast that I finally figured it out. After that, I made
it a point to go see him at his stage when I got to the festival. Our chats
were always about the blues and the people who make that sound. I too miss
Jim Miller.
So, panic. I discovered the new regime who hands out the photo passes did
not include me. Why? Well, there's ten people to the same blues society and
we've only given out two. Yeah, well, I'm the only one from my blues society
and you didn't give one to me. Well, there were too many people in the
photography pit last year. Yeah? I was one of them. This young lady (okay, I
have a different noun to describe her, but...) really pissed me off. And
when I saw who got the "photo" tag, I really lost my temper. Most of them I
have no idea who they are. I know most of the photographers, so what is
this? This young lady wasn't even born when the first festival came about. I
was there.
On top of this I had invited my cousin to come up from Eugene, OR for this
thing. She was suppose to leave there at 6 AM. Were she to drive, it would
take all of an hour and a half. Via bus, three hours. But not today. No. The
bus was over two hours late getting to Eugene. Then it broke down in Salem.
She didn't get to Portland until 3 PM. I am surprised she'll even talk to
me.
These side issues aside, the music. These days this festival is so big one
must select who to see. It's tough. I got to see the 2014 IBC winner Tim
Williams. He was okay. I still wasn't in the mood, which seems to be how I
am these days. Takes a bit of warm up for me to get excited anymore. Went to
the north stage and saw the revamped Rose City Kings. They were okay back
when, and they are still okay. I wandered down to the south stage and there
was Paris Slim. He seemed more or less appropriately attired as opposed to
the plaids and strips and multi colors that in no way matched. He struck me
as being more grounded than what I remember him to be. He was good.
The next band I listened to struck me as being some sort of MOR type more
suited to elevator music than anything else. Alas, my cousin arrived. I went
off and got her squared away and we both went back to the festival site.
First, I wanted to see a little of Lloyd Jones, still my favorite Portland
act. He set was almost done so we motored off to Stan Street's stage to see
Leo Bud Welch. This is where the blues hit me between the eyes and now I'm
in the frame of mind to enjoy...what a treat. He rocked harder than any lame
rocker out there.
I was interested, just briefly, in some band called Cooper. Their CD is
called Motown Suite. That made me real interested. What I saw, I don't know
how to go about this deftly. Their set began with Buddy Miles rock anthem,
Them Changes, to which Cooper jammed all over it. It didn't get any better.
By the time they got to their second song I was already at the south stage.
For, of course, Los Lonely Boys. I like these guys as a rock band. But no
way would I call this blues.
Same for the closer for the first night: Los Lobos. Fun stuff, for sure. But
not blues by any stretch of the imagination.
The one act I am most certainly looking forward to over this weekend will be
Sunday, Lee Fields. There are a few others I don't mind seeing as well. But
had I known how I would be treated, I probably would have stayed home and
all the money I'd save from not being here would get me a full week of golf.
So there's that.
The WFBF is run these days by the Oregon Food Bank. There was a time when I
felt this was a good thing. These days, I'm not so sure. They no longer take
cans of food at the gate. And they seem to turn away the very people whom
they should be helping. It's now all about money. I am now wondering how big
is the overhead for this thing and the organization. One person told me
today this festival is turning into Bumbershoot (a big Seattle thing that
began as an authors forum I'm told). I am sadden. Still, I do enjoy the
friends I have here. The music almost seems incidental. Seeing Leo Bud
Welch, brought me back to why I'm here. Good on ya, Bud.
================================
Blues-L
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It's been a few years since I posted a review of Portland's Waterfront Blues
Festival. When Jimmy Jacobs came he told me he missed those reviews. It was
my sincerest desire to post this last year, but alas, my laptop had finally
crapped out. Partly out of that I bought a Mac last winter and so, here's my
first review in years.
This festival began with a stage crew memorial of sorts to Zeller Jim
Miller. Several folks spoke of him with passion and a few tears were shed.
For myself, I believe I first me Jim at one of the early Mayor's Ball. That
was something and I do miss that festivity. Anyway, I remember one day years
ago, at the WFBF he came right up to me and just started talking about the
bands and seemed sincere in knowing who I was there to see. It wasn't until
the first Zeller breakfast that I finally figured it out. After that, I made
it a point to go see him at his stage when I got to the festival. Our chats
were always about the blues and the people who make that sound. I too miss
Jim Miller.
So, panic. I discovered the new regime who hands out the photo passes did
not include me. Why? Well, there's ten people to the same blues society and
we've only given out two. Yeah, well, I'm the only one from my blues society
and you didn't give one to me. Well, there were too many people in the
photography pit last year. Yeah? I was one of them. This young lady (okay, I
have a different noun to describe her, but...) really pissed me off. And
when I saw who got the "photo" tag, I really lost my temper. Most of them I
have no idea who they are. I know most of the photographers, so what is
this? This young lady wasn't even born when the first festival came about. I
was there.
On top of this I had invited my cousin to come up from Eugene, OR for this
thing. She was suppose to leave there at 6 AM. Were she to drive, it would
take all of an hour and a half. Via bus, three hours. But not today. No. The
bus was over two hours late getting to Eugene. Then it broke down in Salem.
She didn't get to Portland until 3 PM. I am surprised she'll even talk to
me.
These side issues aside, the music. These days this festival is so big one
must select who to see. It's tough. I got to see the 2014 IBC winner Tim
Williams. He was okay. I still wasn't in the mood, which seems to be how I
am these days. Takes a bit of warm up for me to get excited anymore. Went to
the north stage and saw the revamped Rose City Kings. They were okay back
when, and they are still okay. I wandered down to the south stage and there
was Paris Slim. He seemed more or less appropriately attired as opposed to
the plaids and strips and multi colors that in no way matched. He struck me
as being more grounded than what I remember him to be. He was good.
The next band I listened to struck me as being some sort of MOR type more
suited to elevator music than anything else. Alas, my cousin arrived. I went
off and got her squared away and we both went back to the festival site.
First, I wanted to see a little of Lloyd Jones, still my favorite Portland
act. He set was almost done so we motored off to Stan Street's stage to see
Leo Bud Welch. This is where the blues hit me between the eyes and now I'm
in the frame of mind to enjoy...what a treat. He rocked harder than any lame
rocker out there.
I was interested, just briefly, in some band called Cooper. Their CD is
called Motown Suite. That made me real interested. What I saw, I don't know
how to go about this deftly. Their set began with Buddy Miles rock anthem,
Them Changes, to which Cooper jammed all over it. It didn't get any better.
By the time they got to their second song I was already at the south stage.
For, of course, Los Lonely Boys. I like these guys as a rock band. But no
way would I call this blues.
Same for the closer for the first night: Los Lobos. Fun stuff, for sure. But
not blues by any stretch of the imagination.
The one act I am most certainly looking forward to over this weekend will be
Sunday, Lee Fields. There are a few others I don't mind seeing as well. But
had I known how I would be treated, I probably would have stayed home and
all the money I'd save from not being here would get me a full week of golf.
So there's that.
The WFBF is run these days by the Oregon Food Bank. There was a time when I
felt this was a good thing. These days, I'm not so sure. They no longer take
cans of food at the gate. And they seem to turn away the very people whom
they should be helping. It's now all about money. I am now wondering how big
is the overhead for this thing and the organization. One person told me
today this festival is turning into Bumbershoot (a big Seattle thing that
began as an authors forum I'm told). I am sadden. Still, I do enjoy the
friends I have here. The music almost seems incidental. Seeing Leo Bud
Welch, brought me back to why I'm here. Good on ya, Bud.
================================
Blues-L
Please note changes
- To post, send email to: ***@listserv.nethelps.com (Blues (underscore) L @ listserv.nethelps.com)
- To contact the list administrator, send a message to: Blues_L-***@listserv.nethelps.com
- To unsubscribe, send a new email to: ***@listserv.nethelps.com, with the message: unsubscribe Blues_L